Russian Borsch à la Mama

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 beetroots, peeled
• 1 large onion(s)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 medium-sized carrots
• 1 small head of white cabbage
• 4 large potatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• some celery
• ½ bunch parsley
• 1 cup sour cream
• some tomato paste
• some peppercorns
• 4 vegetable stock cubes, approx.
• n. B. water
• n. B. Bread(s) (black bread with garlic)

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 2 hours

Cabbage soup without meat

Peel the potatoes and chop them into small pieces (1 x 1 – 1 x 2 cm), cut the carrots, beetroot, and celery into julienne strips (about 2 – 3 cm long sticks). Dice the onion and finely chop the garlic. Cut the cabbage into 3 – 5 cm long and 0.5 cm wide strips. Lightly sauté the carrots, celery, and beetroot in a pan with oil or butter, while in a large pot, fry the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the potatoes and fry them lightly, then add water (about 1 – 2 cm above the potatoes). Bring to a boil and add the vegetables from the pan. Bring back to a boil, then add the cabbage. Bring to a boil, then add the peppercorns, bay leaves, and about 1 – 4 tablespoons (depending on taste) of tomato paste. Then add 2 – 4 vegetable stock cubes, depending on the quantity, and bring to a boil. When the potatoes and vegetables are soft enough, the soup is ready. We served this in Russia at my grandmother’s with sour cream and toasted black bread rubbed with fresh garlic.